Chapter 10: Moon, Fate, Despair

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“Mom!”

Rushing into the house, only my little sister’s shoes were left sitting alone at the entrance.

“Rin!”

I stepped inside immediately, but there was no sign of anyone in the house.

I ran up from the living room and entered my sister’s room.

In the room where I could feel my sister’s gentle warmth—there wasn’t a single soul.

“Rin……”

On the desk, an open book, a notebook, and a pen were still placed as they were.

At the edge of the notebook, there was a doodle of my face with the words “I love Onii-chan! ♡” written beside it.

How can I find my sister……?

Suddenly, I remembered a certain skill.

“Skill ‘Telepathy’! Rin! Are you nearby!?”

Telepathy lets me send my voice to anyone I focus on within range, regardless of location—even if they can’t be seen.

And since it evolved into “Super Telepathy,” their telepathic response can reach me too, so if my telepathy reaches Rin, her voice should come back to me.

“Rin! If you can hear me, answer!”

I kept calling Rin’s name over and over. But—my sister’s voice didn’t return.

……I can’t give up here!

I left the house and used the skills “Absolute Stealth” and “Fool’s Mask” to search for Mom.

All the while, I kept sending telepathy toward my sister, but there was no reply.

I sensed Mom’s presence at Eran Middle School, where Rin attends.

It’s my alma mater too.

I spotted Mom near the front gate, so I rushed over.

“Mom!”

“Hinata!?”

“I just got back. What about Rin……?”

Mom looked startled for a moment but calmed down when she heard Rin’s name.

“The police searched for her, but she’s nowhere to be found…… I asked her friends too, but she’s not with any of them…… We got permission to search the school, but she wasn’t here either……”

If she were at school, my telepathy should’ve reached her, but there’s no response.

Even if Rin were unconscious, I’d feel something through telepathy if it connected, so I could at least detect if she’s nearby, even without pinpointing her location.

It seems she’s definitely not in Eran Town.

Suddenly, the red moon floating in the sky caught my eye.

Maybe because of what Master told me, I thought of dungeons.

“Mom, I’m going to check a dungeon.”

“A dungeon!?”

“It’s a long shot, but…… I’ll be fine. I’ll contact you if I find anything.”

“Hinata…… Okay. But don’t do anything dangerous, alright?”

“Got it. Thanks.”

I immediately ran toward a nearby dungeon.

I started by searching an E-rank dungeon, but there was no sign of my sister.

Next, I entered a D-rank dungeon, but just like the E-rank one, I found nothing.

I stepped out of the D-rank dungeon—and looked up at the red moon floating in the sky.

Maybe because Rin disappeared, I couldn’t help but feel an intense hatred toward that red moon.

A call came to my smartphone, and when I checked, it was from Shino. Apparently, there’ve been no reports of anyone disappearing nationwide.

Rin’s the only one who vanished……? Why just my sister……? Because she entered a dungeon last month? Sure, they say hunting in a dungeon before high school age brings a curse, but that’s only inside the dungeon.

There’s no way hordes of monsters would target her outside a dungeon, and besides, monsters can’t leave dungeons.

It’s hard to imagine Rin was attacked by monsters.

If there’s anything unusual—it’s got to be that red moon in the sky.

Seishin Town, with its bustling explorer trade, has lively dungeon entrances even at night, but the local dungeon here was empty. I sensed a few people inside the building, likely staff.

Without any particular thought, I stood on a hill a little away from the dungeon entrance, released “Absolute Stealth,” and looked up at the sky.

While gazing at the red moon with “Fool’s Mask” still active—the moon began emitting a red light around it.

A strange, red aurora-like glow spread across the pitch-black sky.

Like the dawn sun, the world began to be dyed red.

It could’ve seemed fantastical, but it didn’t feel that way to me. Why—because all I could sense from the sky was malice, despair, sadness, hatred, and a flood of negative emotions.

So that’s why I couldn’t see the red moon as beautiful and felt disgust toward it……

The red moon seemed to bare its hatred openly.

With a bad feeling, I headed straight back home.

“Mom!”

Entering the living room, I found Mom collapsed on the floor, drenched in cold sweat and wearing a pained expression.

“Hi…… nata……”

“Mom! It’s me! I’ll carry you to bed right away, so hang on!”

“Haa…… haa…… Hi…… Hinata…… R-Run……”

“Mom!?”

“That thing…… its hatred is too great………… Everyone…… will be swallowed…………”

“Mom!!”

I hurriedly carried my unconscious Mom to bed.

I used the “Clean” skill once, then quickly grabbed a wet towel and placed it on her forehead.

Mom, who’d been running around just earlier, suddenly collapsed with a high fever. And she mentioned “hatred”…… Could it really be about that red moon in the sky?

Come to think of it…… this might be the first time I’ve seen Mom show weakness. She’s always been bright, leading us siblings forward.

Seeing her bedridden with illness…… it’s a first too.

I never felt odd about not seeing Mom—a nurse—bedridden with a fever before, and now I realize it’s thanks to her brightness.

Even to the point of passing out…… she was worrying about us.

I…… want to protect Mom and Rin too! Just like Mom did for us!

I’ll do everything I can right now.

“Mom…… I’ll definitely find Rin. So wait for me.”

I don’t know if my voice reached her, but Mom’s pained expression softened slightly.

After confirming she’d calmed down, I headed to Rin’s room.

The scenery was the same as before.

Sitting in the chair where Rin had been and facing the desk, nothing felt particularly different.

I activated “Fool’s Mask” and looked around.

What caught my eye—was the red light streaming in from the window.

Standing by the window, I saw the red moon and the red aurora spreading across the sky.

Then, I noticed something odd about the neatly folded right curtain at the window’s edge.

There was a tiny, crumpled spot, as if it’d been gripped—like a faint wrinkle.

It was such a small oddity you wouldn’t notice without looking closely, but would opening or closing the curtain leave a wrinkle from gripping it that hard? The bed’s too far for her to have grabbed it while getting up either.

What if she stood here, looked outside, and instinctively gripped the curtain in a panic after sensing something strange out there……?

She vanished without a sound, unnoticed by Mom downstairs……?

Suddenly, I recalled something.

The first time—I entered a dungeon.

Back then…… I stared at the crystal and didn’t notice until I was swallowed by the darkness.

When I emerged from the dungeon, a day had passed, but the receptionist acted like nothing happened, just surprised I’d come again.

Could that…… be like the “Dungeon Spiriting” Master mentioned, similar to when I vanished and now Rin too, by some coincidence?

No, I shouldn’t rule it out. If there’s even a slight possibility, I need to pursue it.

While staring at the red moon, I pulled the crystal I’d stored in “Dimensional Storage” out.

When I touched it, an ominous mist poured out—eerily similar to the red aurora dyeing the sky.

That’s when it happened.

The black mist enveloping me began to turn red bit by bit.

I could tell it was resonating with the red moon in the sky.

This confirmed one thing—Rin was taken by that moon.

I rushed out of the house and headed for the highest nearby spot.

That spot was the mountain where we all watched fireworks that day.

Facing the red moon in the sky, I held the crystal high.

As the red sky illuminated the ground, ominous black mist spilled from the crystal, gradually turning red.

The mist from the crystal didn’t envelop my body; it rose into the sky and dissipated.

Even after waiting, I didn’t enter that dark dungeon at all.

“Why…… can’t I get in?”

I’ve proven I can enter even with the mask on. So there must be a reason I can’t now.

Is it because the mist isn’t gathering in one spot and just vanishes into the sky? Why is the mist, which usually swallows my whole body, dissipating upward instead?

It kept rising into the sky, as if pulled by the red moon.

And then—a crack split the red night sky.

Like an invisible wall between sky and ground, the crack spread wider and wider.

Black light began pouring out from the crack.

《“Are you, Suzuki Hinata, prepared to accept your fate?”》

This voice……!

The same woman’s voice I heard when I awakened “Fool’s Mask.” A very cold voice.

Prepared…… it’s definitely tied to the red moon and this crack. I don’t know why, but…… I feel like Rin’s beyond that crack. I’ll save her no matter what……! Wait for me…… I’ll come rescue you soon.

《“Are you, Suzuki Hinata, prepared to accept your fate?”》

Yes……! I accept it!

《“You bear the fate ‘Fool.’ Here, I bestow upon you the power of ‘Reversed.’”》

Re…… versed?

《“You have gained the power ‘Dreamscape’ of the fate ‘Fool Reversed.’”》

“—‘Dreamscape’”

From my right hand raised to the sky, pure white light poured out, and with a sound like shattering glass, a blood-like red mist rained down toward me.

♦♦♦

The red-tinted vision faded, revealing a world shrouded in darkness.

Thanks to “Fool’s Mask,” I could clearly see the surroundings even in the dark.

The ground beneath my feet wasn’t normal earth—it closely resembled the place in “Lucifer’s Fall” where I fought the giant bear monster.

But that’s not what matters.

“Onii-chan!?”

“Rin!!”

Her voice didn’t reach me directly.

But the telepathy I’d been sending nonstop connected, and her voice came back.

I sprinted full speed toward where I felt the telepathic response.

There she was—Rin, crying inside a giant silver birdcage, and a strange entity peering at her from outside.

“Stop it!”

It slowly turned its gaze from my sister and looked at me.

“A shadow…… human?”

It resembled a person but seemed made of shadow. I could tell it was female from its figure, though it had no hair or face.

Yet, on its face-like part, there was only a large mouth.

“Who…… are you……? How did you get here……?”

“Who are you!? Why did you abduct my sister!”

“Sister……? Suzuki Rin has a brother……? A…… AAAAAA! AAAAAAAA!”

Suddenly, the shadow human let out a loud scream, releasing a powerful sonic wave around it.

I couldn’t let Rin suffer covering her ears, so I charged in full force and kicked the shadow human away.

There was no sensation of impact, but the force of my kick sent the shadow human flying far off.

“Rin!”

“Onii-chan!”

“I’ll get you out right away! Hold on!”

“O-Onii-chan…… W-Wait!”

“!?”

Rin stopped my hands as I tried to force open the birdcage’s iron bars.

“Rin……?”

“U-Um! That person from before…… said if I leave this cage, I’ll die right away…… That’s what they told me.”

“Die right away!?”

“Yeah. I don’t know the details, but…… they said I can’t withstand this world’s toxins and would die instantly. The cage’s key is unlocked, and I could leave anytime if I wanted…… but if I do, I’ll definitely die. Th-There, see that…… bird’s corpse…… It was in this cage until just a moment ago……”

Where Rin pointed, there lay what seemed to be a bird’s bones, completely dried out.

I don’t know how long “a moment ago” was, but in my common sense, drying out like that would take months or years. For it to be reduced to just bones, some strange force must be at work here.

I recalled my first dungeon, “Lucifer’s Fall.” Thinking back, that place was overflowing with toxins too. This might be a similar kind of place.

So how do I get Rin out of here and back home?

Before she ends up like that, can I return to where I came in and get back to our world?

Is this even another world? Inside the red moon? Or…… a dungeon after all?

As I pondered what to do while imagining various possibilities, I felt the gentle warmth of a hand on my mask.

“Rin……?”

“Onii-chan……”

Fresh tears rolled down my sister’s cheeks.

“Thank you for coming for me…… I…… thought I’d never see you again…… I wanted to see Mama too, but…… I might not be able to anymore……”

“Rin!”

“Onii-chan…… I was so happy to see you here. But…… if you stay, you’ll end up ruined too…… So……”

Rin forced a smile.

“I want you to leave me and go back.”

This world is dangerous…… so leave Rin and go back alone……?

There’s no way I’d do that.

Why did I want to get stronger, enroll in Seishin High School, and become an explorer……? Wasn’t it so I could reassure and protect Rin in times like this!?

Yet here I am, worrying her…… Unable to protect her even though she’s right in front of me…… What a pathetic brother I am……

Born with a level that never rose from 0, nothing I did ever went well.

I studied and trained my body daily, at least to repay the smiles Rin and Mom gave me.

I resolved to become an explorer, managed to survive dungeons, and gained trustworthy comrades…… Yet am I going to abandon Rin here and run away?

—No.

That must never happen. As Rin’s brother, even if this body decays, I’ll protect her to the end……!

I slowly removed my mask.

“Rin.”

“Onii-chan……”

“Thank you. I know better than anyone how kind you are. I’m really happy you’re worried about me. But…… more than anything, I want to protect you, Rin. Even if I decay here—no, that’d just make you sad. So watch me. I’ll definitely protect you. I’ll save you from here. That’s why I wished to become strong and came here. I’ll find a way for us to go back together, so it might be tough, but can you wait there for me?”

Rin’s expression gradually crumbled, and tears overflowed from her big eyes.

To her, I—responded with a smile.

“Onii-chan…… I……”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t want to be apart from you……! I want to go home together…… and eat delicious meals with Mama again, the three of us……”

A single tear rolled down my cheek too.

“Yeah……! Definitely! I promise!”

“Yeah……! I’ll…… wait here! I’ll be good and wait……”

I gently patted Rin’s head.

Putting my mask back on, I stood and turned toward the shadow human I’d kicked earlier.

It was still there, screaming something incessantly.

“AAAAHHH! Don’t mess with meeee!”

“……‘Don’t mess with me’—that’s my line!!”

Fueled by anger, I kicked the shadow human again—but unlike before, this time its body swallowed my foot like a real shadow.

“Youuuu!”

The shadow human turned to me and swung its fist.

I thought it’d pass through since it’s a shadow—but it struck my body hard.

A tremendous shock ran through me, sending me flying far back.

While airborne, I twisted my body and landed on my feet before hitting the ground.

Even so, the momentum was too strong to stop, and I skidded far despite braking with my feet.

No major damage, but taking hits head-on repeatedly could be dangerous.

“AAAAHH! Whyyyy!”

Activating the second power of “Fool,” “Black Thunder”—“Swift Thunder”—I closed the distance in an instant.

The shadow human couldn’t react, and by the time its sound reached me belatedly, my fist, clad in black lightning, had sunk into its abdomen.

Though it lacked substance, “Black Thunder” worked—I felt its abdomen, and with the momentum, I punched it flying.

“Gyaaaahhh!”

It bounced across the ground repeatedly, flying so far it became a dot in the distance.

Without stopping, I activated “Swift Thunder” again, closing the gap instantly.

From above the airborne shadow human, I slammed a heel drop toward the ground.

Not just a shockwave—black lightning spread around as the shadow human crashed into the ground.

Its once pristine body was now tattered all over.

As expected, the power of “Black Thunder” works.

“Ga…… gagaga…… You…… that power……”

Still, it keeps speaking, so it clearly has a will…… Can it communicate?

“Shadow human. Why did you abduct Rin!?”

“Shadow…… human……? That’s…… me……? Ahahaha! I am—Tsuki. The goddess who rules—this world!”

A goddess!?

The next moment, the shadow human’s body wavered and closed the distance between us in an instant.

I hurriedly unleashed “Black Thunder” to attack the shadow human—Tsuki.

“The power of rebellion! You’re not an apostle created by that woman!”

“That woman? An Apostle? What are you even talking about!? I just came to save my sister!”

“No! You were just led here by that woman, dancing to her tune—under the name of fate!”

Fate……?

Could “that woman” be the one whose voice asked me about my resolve?

But without that voice, I wouldn’t have made it here. Rin could’ve stayed missing, lost to whatever Tsuki might’ve done, never to be found.

Thinking that way, that mysterious woman seems more trustworthy than Tsuki.

“Even if, like you say, I was led here by fate, I don’t care! If it means I can protect Rin, I’ll dance to any tune!”

“Protect…… Rin?”

“I don’t know why you abducted Rin, but I’m taking my sister back!”

I shook off Tsuki and tried to follow up with “Black Thunder.”

But now, the “Black Thunder” that had been hitting her clashed against some kind of force and repelled.

In this dark world, a faint blue light poured down from a beautiful full moon shining far above, directed at Tsuki.

“I won’t…… hand over Rin!”

“Don’t mess with me! Give me back my sister!”

A blue aura wrapped around Tsuki’s body.

When it collided with my “Black Thunder,” it made a harsh sound, repelling it and preventing “Black Thunder” from reaching her.

Her body, tattered from taking “Black Thunder” multiple times, had somehow regenerated, and she moved at a speed incomparable to before.

Thanks to my ability to react and keep up, it shifted from a one-sided fight to a furious exchange of blows.

At first, Tsuki attacked with her bare body, but gradually, she began transforming it.

Her hands turned into blades, then spears, then axes—morphing into the very weapons explorers I know use.

Each time, the blue light enveloping her took the same shape as the weapon, adopting its characteristics.

The blade part was as real as any blade, capable of delivering a fatal wound with a single hit.

I used “Black Thunder” at full power, dodging her attacks while timing my own strikes.

Her attacks came close but didn’t hit me, while she took my counters repeatedly.

Just when I thought I had the upper hand, Tsuki brought her arms together—and they transformed into a massive cannon.

Caught off guard by the sudden change, I couldn’t dodge, and a powerful projectile from her cannon arms hit me full-on.

I concentrated “Black Thunder” to block it at the last second, but I couldn’t reduce its momentum and was sent flying far away from Tsuki.

Eventually, I was blasted beyond the vast ground we’d been fighting on, realizing we’d been battling atop an enormous structure.

A colossal building, unimaginable for modern humanity to construct, supported by two massive pillars, its height so vast I couldn’t even fathom how high it stood from the ground.

While being flung, I gradually eroded the projectile with “Black Thunder,” making it vanish before it could pierce through.

But the force sent my body hurtling into the air, and I fell toward the ground below.

“Riiiiiiiiiiiiin!”

As I fell, I saw Tsuki watching me from atop the building.

♦♦♦

While falling, I tried various things, but I couldn’t fly or kick off empty space to climb back up.

After falling for a while, when the ground came into view, I used “Swift Thunder” to negate my free-fall speed and landed.

There—nothing but a vast, endless wilderness stretched out.

It somewhat resembled the scenery of C3, where we often go.

A sandstorm raged in the wilderness, obscuring the distance, but the massive pillars were still visible.

I hurried closer and was overwhelmed by their sheer size.

I need to climb this pillar to get back to where I was……!

I ran along the side of the giant pillar.

Thanks to “Absolute Stealth” and “Fool’s Mask,” I could run up the side without feeling gravity or falling.

Tsuki…… she called herself the goddess of this world…… What kind of being is she?

Can I even defeat something that calls itself a “god”……? Can I save Rin and return to our world?

……No, I can’t afford to get weak now. I won’t save anything that way.

Her reason for abducting Rin isn’t clear, but since she did, there must be some purpose.

I’d do anything to protect my precious sister. Even if she’s a god…… I don’t know if my strength can win, but I have to overcome this with the martial arts Master taught me and the courage my comrades gave me.

As I kept running, the ceiling finally came into view, but it was so massive that crossing it alone would take considerable distance.

After climbing the entire pillar, the ceiling stretched out, but I couldn’t run across it.

《“Due to hardship, you have gained the skill ‘Ninjutsu.’”》

A new skill……! Thank you for always helping me!

I immediately tried “Ninjutsu,” and my feet stuck to the ceiling as if magnetized, allowing me to run across it seamlessly with “Absolute Stealth.”

Eventually, I reached the rooftop from the ceiling and could see my surroundings more calmly.

In the dark night sky, a single beam of light from above marked Tsuki’s position.

I could head straight for her, but I recalled Master’s words: “When you’re panicking, look around and recognize that you’re panicking.”

In that last fight…… honestly, I lacked composure. If Master had seen it, I might’ve been scolded. My desire to save Rin as fast as possible hasn’t changed, but my opponent isn’t weak enough to beat in a rush.

I didn’t use any of the martial arts or fighting spirit Master taught me—just swung my fists in anger…… As a party leader, I’m supposed to stay calm in battle, but I failed to put that into practice.

For someone like me, whose level won’t rise and who can’t get stronger, I forgot what I can do now—what I must do.

“Huaaaa…………”

Taking a deep breath and looking around, my field of vision suddenly widened.

Even with “Fool’s Mask” giving me omnidirectional sight, I’d only been focused straight ahead until now.

Still, this rooftop is made of a strange material.

Even when I hit Tsuki with “Black Thunder” earlier, the floor didn’t get a single scratch. It might be made of some special substance. After all, monsters and rocks hit by “Black Thunder” turn to ash and vanish instantly.

Against a strong opponent, I should’ve used fighting spirit to pierce their tough body, but I just relied on brute force…… No, I haven’t lost yet. Rin’s presence is still strong. There’s no problem.

I ran toward Tsuki’s location.

There she stood, gathering moonlight from the sky into one spot.

Her face slowly turned toward me.

“You managed to come back up here……”

“Yeah.”

She looked at me with a hint of loneliness.

Despite having no face, I could somehow sense her emotions clearly.

Her loneliness—felt similar to this place where we’re fighting.

Where Tsuki stood now and where I’d walked to get here had nothing, but near the birdcage where Rin was held, there were several objects.

From the look of it—it seemed like some kind of garden, though there were no plants, just a fountain with red water.

A desolate garden built at the center of this vast structure……

“You really won’t release Rin, will you?”

“I won’t hand that child over……”

“I see. Then I…… have no choice but to defeat you.”

“I am Tsuki. The goddess of this world. I won’t lose.”

“Normally, maybe. But even you have a weakness. I didn’t notice it before…… but it won’t go the same way again.”

“…………”

“Round two, then?”

She took a battle stance.

I threw everything I’d been taught at her.

As I charged, she leapt toward me too.

We met exactly in the middle, swinging fists, but her fist transformed into a giant hammer.

I used my new skill “Ninjutsu” to handle the hammer swung at incredible speed.

“Ninjutsu” has two uses: one lets you unleash attacks with various attributes, but it seems I can only use attributes I’m adept at—and I have none.

So naturally, I relied on the other ability.

The second use—is “Taijutsu.”

It’s now the “Martial King” skill, but originally, my combat relied on the “Martial Arts” skill. That was more about physical movement than handling fighting spirit.

In contrast, “Ninjutsu” circulates fighting spirit through the body to fight.

I have no fighting spirit in me. Yet, when I use techniques from “Martial King” or “Ninjutsu” that require it, fighting spirit overflows.

Using that, I circulated fighting spirit through my body, enhancing my physical abilities further.

I leapt on top of the swinging hammer.

Another benefit of using fighting spirit is sensing the opponent’s fighting spirit, instantly grasping what kind of attack they’ll make.

Of course, I can’t always read Master’s highly refined attacks, but even strong opponents show fleeting openings in battle. Sensing those gives me a huge advantage, even against someone stronger.

From atop the hammer, I quickly struck it down with a “Black Thunder” attack, hammer and all.

The swung hammer hit the floor, making a dull sound as Tsuki’s body slid with it.

Without missing that opening, I used a technique Master taught me to infuse fighting spirit into her body, striking it in.

“Black Thunder” and my fighting spirit merged, slammed into Tsuki’s body.

With a powerful impact sound, Tsuki let out a pained scream.

“Gaaaaaaaaaaah!!”

For the first time, blue liquid spewed from Tsuki’s mouth. It looked almost—like Tsuki’s blood.

There’s no certainty in battle. I won’t let my guard down.

As her stance faltered, I used the same method to deliver a heel drop to her back with force.

The impact of my attack sent me soaring high, and I observed Tsuki as she was slammed into the floor.

When “Black Thunder” hit directly, her body got tattered, but now, striking it internally seemed to deal solid damage.

At that moment, blue light poured down from the full moon in the sky onto Tsuki again.

Tsuki rose with a pained expression.

As expected, she’s likely receiving some kind of energy from the moon above.

Then…… I just need to cut that off.

“‘Black Thunder,’ third power—‘Black Garment’”

A black shadow cloak enveloped my body.

Still airborne, I spread the cloak, blocking the light between Tsuki and the full moon.

“AAAAHHH!”

Tsuki screamed upward at me, spewing a massive amount of blue liquid from her mouth.

She brought her hands together, turning them into a cannon.

Then, ultra-high-speed projectiles came flying at me.

If I’d lacked composure like before, dodging would’ve been tough.

But now, I was calmly observing the fight and had predicted this attack.

So, the moment the projectiles fired, I used a “Ninjutsu” technique to instantly evade.

Being able to move once in midair is a huge asset in combat.

The cannon attack seemed to have a big recoil for Tsuki too, as she couldn’t keep up with my movements, and even after I landed gracefully, she didn’t pursue.

I struck fighting spirit into her body a third time.

“Gah…… ah…… AAAAA……”

As she crumbled, I spread “Black Garment” above her, blocking the full moon’s light.

Touching the blue light didn’t harm me—it seemed to simply supply her with energy.

“No…… I won’t…… hand over that child!”

The next instant, the aura around Tsuki shifted from blue to red.

At the same time, the full moon’s light cut off.

Not knowing what might happen, I quickly distanced myself and prepared for her next move.

Her body, about the size of Hina or Shino, began transforming bit by bit.

“AAAAHHHH…… AAAAAA!”

Her scream sent sonic shockwaves spreading around again.

And her body morphed into a strange shape.

Still a black shadow, her back turned into fighter jet wings, and her arms and legs became bomb-like shapes.

It somehow—resembled the humanoid combat robots I saw at Kamui Company.

“That child alone…… I won’t hand over!”

“Rin, I’m…… taking her back!”

Bombs from her arms and legs launched toward me.

I hadn’t seen their power yet—but the presence I felt was stronger than any attack I’d encountered.

If they caused a massive explosion here, it could engulf not just me but Rin too.

“—‘Black Garment Soaring’”

The true form of “Black Garment,” a power I gained fighting the giant bear monster.

As I brought my hands together, darkness spread around me.

A pitch-black—almost void-like darkness that erased everything it engulfed.

For a fleeting moment, Tsuki’s world froze.

A time where only the power of nothingness existed.

In that moment, her expression—looked deeply sad.

I think I understand the sadness of failing to protect something.

I felt it keenly when Rin was abducted.

Not just Rin. When Hina got stronger and her room nearly burst with Absolute Ice. When Shino’s hearing sharpened so much she struggled to live normally. I was always sad that I couldn’t protect them or even notice.

That’s why Tsuki’s feelings hit me so painfully.

But even so, I want to protect Rin and promised to bring her back to our world.

No, I myself want to take Rin back.

I only realized what was most precious to me after losing it.

No…… I knew it was precious, but I always believed it’d be there.

But the world isn’t that kind.

So—with all the power I have now, I’ll save her……!

The darkness that had spread around returned to my hands.

The massive bombs Tsuki fired, the armor-like shadow and red aura she wore, all vanished, and her tattered body began falling slowly from the air to the rooftop.

“Ah…… ahh…… I……”

As a shadow, she fell slowly, and blue light from the full moon shone down on her.

But she could no longer regenerate, her body continuing to vanish like burning paper.

“Tsuki. Why did you abduct Rin?”

“Rin…… that child…… is one…… I must protect……”

“Must protect……?”

“Ahh…… if that woman…… takes her…… the world………… Rin…… big…… brother………… ahh……”

Until the moment she faded, Tsuki kept whispering something in a small voice.

And where she vanished, only a single small yellow crystal remained.

Like when the giant bear monster vanished into a crystal…… Tsuki too became just a crystal.

If I could’ve properly talked with her…… could we have avoided fighting? If I’d calmly spoken to her from the start…… would the outcome have changed?

The faint blue light that had poured toward Tsuki from the full moon faded, leaving the dark sky shining lonely.

Feeling a bit melancholic, I prioritized heading to protect Rin.

I picked up the yellow crystal and hurried to Rin.

“Rin!”

“Onii-chan!”

“Sorry for making you wait.”

“No…… it’s okay!”

I lightly opened the cage door, and as Rin said, it wasn’t locked—it could be opened anytime.

That means, as Tsuki claimed, this world’s toxins are indeed extremely dangerous to Rin.

And Tsuki said she was protecting Rin.

It’s almost certainly Tsuki who brought Rin to this world.

Keeping Rin isolated in this cage…… could it have been to protect her from something……?

No, no matter how much I think, I won’t reach a conclusion. What I need to do now is figure out how to get Rin back to the real world from here.

“Onii-chan…… what do we do……?”

“Right…… I defeated Tsuki, but I didn’t get to ask how to return. Still, since I made it here, there’s got to be a way to take you back. Rin, can you tell me what you remember about coming here, even just a little?”

Rin nodded firmly.

With the cage’s iron bars between us, Rin and I sat facing each other.

“I was studying in my room when the red moon outside caught my attention…… I knew it was getting redder each day, and while wondering why, I looked at it. Then a strange light enveloped me, and before I knew it, I was here. At first, that person wrapped my body, then put me in this birdcage.”

“I see…… So Tsuki covered you to keep the air from touching you. This birdcage must work the same way.”

“Yeah. She said it’s a cage with purifying power.”

“True, the air inside and outside the cage feels slightly different. Purifying power, huh……”

I don’t have that kind of power…… and even the skills that usually help me out don’t seem to offer an easy solution this time.

“Oh! Right! Maybe we can take the whole cage back to our world!”

“That might work, but…… it looks heavy, doesn’t it?”

“Let’s see……”

I tried lifting the cage, but unfortunately, it seemed fused to the floor, like part of the giant structure.

“It’s not just the cage—it’s like part of the building.”

“Oh…… I see……”

Time to think of the next plan.

If keeping her from the surrounding air is the key, could I cover Rin with my “Black Garment”? But would that block the toxins?

The reason I’m fine here…… is thanks to the skill “Status Abnormality Immunity”……

If I could apply this skill to Rin too…… but skills are unique to each person, they say. You can’t share them.

For that matter, how do I even get back to our world……?

I used the strange power “Fool Reversed” to get here. It felt completely different from the “Fool” powers I’d used before.

If “Fool” is a power for battle, “Fool Reversed” seems to affect events themselves.

—That’s when it happened.

A loud, inorganic voice echoed through the world.

“Warning. Warning. Master’s whereabouts unknown. Initiating contingency plan. Warning. Warning. Master’s whereabouts unknown. Initiating contingency plan.”

Fate

Active Skill

Passive Skill